I lived in a hostel dorm in Hawaii for four months and it was the best decision I ever made.
In March 2021, my college friend and I sat down at a bar in Nashville and spontaneously booked a three-week trip to Oahu, Hawaii, which turned into a four-month move and left us wanting to stay for the rest of our lives.
Layne and I left the concrete walls of our college dorms and arrived in tropical paradise in May 2021, right as pandemic protocols were being lifted.
We checked in at Boutique Beach Waikiki Hostel and we were escorted to our four-person female dorm.
Our first full day visiting the island changed everything.
We both met a group of other guests through the hostel’s Whatsapp group chat and planned to go hiking Koko Head Cratera 2.5 kilometer walk on the east side of the island.
Best Hikes on Oahu
All summer I hiked dozens of trails and waterfalls. Here are some of my favorites and the highest-rated hikes on All Trails
- Lanikai Pillbox Hike: 1.5-mile trail near Kailua Beach is rated “Moderate” in All trails. I recommend going early in the morning or later to avoid the heat and crowds
- Manoa Falls: The 1.7-mile trail near Honolulu is rated “Easy” in All trails. The trail is often closed during the rainy season, so be sure to check before proceeding.
- Diamond Head Crater: The 1.9-mile trail is without a doubt one of the most popular trails on the island. Non-Hawaii residents must reserve a time to hike the trail and pay a fee in advance. The trail is classified as “Difficult” in All trails, but I would say it is more moderate. Just make sure to hydrate!
Even though Layne and I were painfully hungover from the night before, the view from the top of the crater made the treacherous hike worth it.
Looking out at the crystal clear waters and beautiful Hanauma Bay, we knew we needed to stay longer than the weeks we had planned.
After spending that night on rocky Sandy’s Beach, hitchhiking back to town, and having dinner on Waikiki Beach, we started researching places to hire in town.
In 2021, many businesses on Oahu were still struggling to recover from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and were desperate for employees, so we luckily got jobs at a smoothie shop near our hostel, Tucker and Bevy.
Renting an apartment was out of the question, as the average rental price on Oahu is around $1,600, so we had no choice but to stay at the hostel for the next few months.
We booked another three months at the Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel, paying a discounted price of $32 per night to share a four-bed dorm with two strangers.
Over the next few months, I made lasting friendships with the people at the hostel, the local Hawaiians I met along the way, and my co-workers from Tucker and Bevy.
After wrapping up my 5am-2pm shift, I usually spent the last half of the day meeting up with friends to explore beaches like Lanikai or cliff jumping at Waimea Bay on the North Shore.
Top Oahu Beaches
Want to get off the Waikiki strip? Here are my favorites of Oahu’s top-rated beaches, according to Hawaii Guide.
- Lanikai Beach
- Kailua Beach Park
- Cabeça do Diamante Beach
- Waimanalo Beach
- sunset beach
- Makapu’u Beach Park
Every Thursday night, a group of us would get together to enjoy delicious burgers and cheap cocktails at our favorite quirky bar, Suzie Wong’s Hideaway, which is hidden behind a 7-Eleven at the end of the Waikiki strip.
Setting aside the adrenaline-filled moments climbing mountains and sunny beach days, one of the most memorable moments of my time in Hawaii was at the beginning of my trip.
In mid-May, my core group of hostel friends and I sat at the Great Walls of China, a stretch of volcanic rock ledges and cliffs above the ocean.
We spent the night watching the sunset while surfers caught waves we would never have imagined surfing. All around us, high school students wore caps, dresses and necklaces as they took graduation photos.
Looking out at the beautiful scenery, surrounded by a group of people I’ve grown so close to in just a few weeks, I’ve never felt more grateful. Of course, that moment of peace didn’t last long when we realized that the last bus of the night would arrive in 15 minutes.
We ended the night by running a mile to catch the bus and celebrated arriving on time with cheap drinks from the ABC store and Loco Mocos from the Rainbow Drive-In.
Unmissable food
When visiting Oahu, don’t forget to try the local Hawaiian food. Here are some dishes to try and my favorite places to get them.
- Loco Moco
- A loco moco typically consists of two burgers, an over-easy egg, sauce, and white rice.
- Favorite spot: Rainbow Drive-In
- Poke
- Poke is a bowl of raw fish sometimes mixed with rice and other vegetables
- Favorite place: Maguro Spot
- Musubi Spam
- Musubi is a small portion made of rice and spam wrapped in seaweed
- Musubis can be purchased at most convenience stores on the island for just US$2
- Kalua Pork
- I recommend getting Kono’s Hawaiian Bowl, which includes Kalua pork, cabbage, white rice, and their signature guava sauce.
- Favorite place: Kono’s
TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY
Since that first trip, I’ve returned to the island several times to visit friends and get more burgers at Suzie Wong’s, of course.
Stepping away from my four months living on Oahu, I left with so much more than friends who I now consider family and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
The best way to travel sustainably
When visiting Hawaii, be aware of its ecological footprint. Here are some of the best ways to be a better tourist, according to the Hawaii Sustainable Tourism Association.
- Book through sustainable tour operators on Oahu
- Collect it yourself, don’t leave trash behind
- Avoid interacting with wildlife
- If you want to give back, look volunteer opportunities on the island
That summer, I learned the importance of being aware of your impact as a tourist and how to reduce your ecological footprint.
Tourism It still makes up about 25% of Oahu’s economy, making it a vital industry for the state, so it’s up to visitors to help preserve the island’s beauty.
Throughout my time there, I had countless conversations with locals about the island’s overtourism problem and how those who want to visit can help.
O Hawaii Sustainable Tourism Association encourages tourists to “travel pono”, that is, travel consciously and respectfully.
According to its website, the association “seeks to serve as a conduit between the tourism industry and community conservation efforts.”
It is dedicated to promoting “sustainable tourism through innovative initiatives and programs that aim to protect [Hawaii’s] natural and cultural resources.”
Those looking to book Oahu tours should visit Tours and activities in Hawaii for the best sustainable tourism options available.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story